Hot off his victory in last weekend’s Milan – San Remo, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) trounced the competition in today’s E3 Saxo Classic, after distancing Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) on the Oude Kwaremont.
Pedersen fought valiantly in his attempts to close down the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider, but the Danish rider faded as Van der Poel powered away and on the victory in West Flanders, crossing the finish more than a minute ahead of Pedersen and Ganna, with the Italian finishing a further minute back on the Dutchman.
Van der Poel, Pedersen and Ganna became part of a small breakaway group after they bridged their way to Aimé De Gendt (Cofidis) and Casper Pedersen (Soudal Quick-Step) on the Taaienberg.
On the Paterberg, Pedersen accelerated hard with the aim of cutting down the lead group, with only Ganna and Van der Poel able to mark his move. The Oude Kwaremont soon followed, and it was Ganna that began the climb first. Van der Poel took over and caused a split as the cobbles began. The former world champion soon crested the summit and was out of sight, with Pedersen 17 seconds down on him and Ganna a further 13 seconds back.
As the rain continued to fall in West Flanders, Van der Poel tore over the Karnemelkbeekstraat and under the 30 kilometer to go banner with 25 seconds over Pedersen back down the road. The slick roads began to become an issue with the Dutchman nearly losing his back wheel on a wet corner.
Van der Poel, however, held on and won by more than a minute in Harelbeke, with Pedersen taking second and Ganna completing the podium.
“I’m very, very happy. We had a tough race with team, but I have to thank my whole team for the amazing job they did today. I was really motivated to finish it off,” Van der Poel said at the finish.
“He’s just incredible,” Pedersen said at the finish, describing Van der Poel and his attack on the cobbled climb. “The gap kept extending. It’s impossible to come back from that. On the Kwaremont he made the difference and showed his class again. We wanted to open up the race on the Taaienberg, we talked to the DSes there and decided not to follow but to try it ourselves. It was nice to open up the race, with a smaller group. The shape is there. It was proper racing today, so I’m happy.”
Meanwhile, Ganna admitted that his heavier build put him at a defict when Van der Poel and Pedersen pushed on. “My weight is too high for this climb with these guys. I’m really happy with my performance in the last kilometres (though). I had a fire in the legs and then we were at the top and saw 30km to go, I thought ‘fuck’. It was a really hard race, but I’m happy, the shape is here. I’m not the best rider for the steep climbs.”
